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Tunisia's Facebook candidates

Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a demonstration on National Women's Day at Bab Saadoun in Tunis, Tunisia, August 13, 2013. (EPA/MOHAMED MESSARA)

Young Tunisians frustrated with political gridlock are using social media to demand a place for youth in shaping the country's future. Many young citizens began putting their own names forward on the web for the country's caretaker cabinet, which was announced on Saturday.

Just before the announcement of Industry Minister Medhi Jomaa as caretaker prime minister, blogger Tarek Cheniti declared via Facebook that he was nominating himself for the same position. Other Tunisians online soon followed suit.

Tunisia's Facebook candidates

Young Tunisians take to the web to demand a place for youth in politics.

On Saturday afternoon, Cheniti uploaded his CV to the social network and wrote, "I announce, with God's blessing, my nomination for prime minister and I call on all citizens of my age category to submit their nominations. Enough of the silence and negativity!"

The initiative emerged out of frustration with the progress of Tunisia's democratic transition, which has been lead primarily by older men since the 2011 revolution. The leader of the ruling Ennahdha party, Rached Ghannouchi, is 72 years old, and the head of the opposition Nidaa Tounes party, Beji Caid Essebsi, is 87.

Cheniti explained in a Facebook post: "The main problem, in my opinion, is the hierarchical culture that takes pleasure in scorning the youth under the pretext of 'respect the elders', whereas respecting the elders does not negate respect for the youth as well."

“There are thousands of young Tunisian men and women who have gained enough education and experience to be able to run our country. These people deserve to be given a chance to lead the democratic transition because after all, the revolution is theirs,”tunisia-live.net

Multiple "Youth Decides" Facebook pages and groups have emerged, and young Tunisians are posting their CVs online and volunteering to be part of the government.

خالد بن ابراهيم محلل في البنك الدولي في زغرب ومختص في دول شمال إفريقيا مستعد للعمل في مجال الإصلاح الجبائي Khaled Ben Brahim - 30 Years - Financial Analyst at the World Bank in Zagreb Croatia, in Charge of Disbursement on MNA countries, Chartered public Account, I have an extended experience in project management, Audit and Tax, I would like to lead to the Tax Reform in order to encourage setting business in Tunisia.حكومتنا

Prominent activist and head of the Reform Foundation Bassem Bouguerra nominated himself to reform Tunisia's security sector.

Bassem Bouguerra's Photos - Bassem Bouguerra | Facebookfacebook.com

Bouguerra wrote on Twitter: "We are not scorned, we are not strangled, we are not marginalised. We are the youth, we decide!"